Read Exodus 32 - 40
1. Read Dan.9:17-21, Ex. 32:11-14, Gen. 18:23-25, Joshua 7:6-10, 2Kings 19:1-6. Write down 3 things you learn from these passages about prayer and being heard by God.
a. ____________________________________________________________________
b. ____________________________________________________________________
c. ____________________________________________________________________
2. Read Ex. 33:12 -23 & 34:9-27 List the "prayer requests" made by Moses, the case he makes before the Lord, and God's answers.
Request Case Answer
Ex.33:12-14
Ex. 33:15-17
Ex.33:18-23
Ex.34:8-27
What conclusions can you draw about prayer from these passages?
How do these "request" match up to yours?
3. God promised to make a great nation of Moses and give them the promised land but not go with them. Why did Moses refuse both those offers?
Read the quote from chapter 6 of Crazy Love by Francis Chan
The critical question for our generation – and for every generation – is this: if you could have heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with heaven, if Christ was not there?
How does this relate to this Exodus passage?
How would you answer that question?
4. Notice the name given to God in Ex. 34:14. What is it?
Does that name bother you? Why or why not?
It bothered Oprah Winfrey! Watch the below video and see how she "lost" her faith
How would you respond to Oprah?
5. Read Ex.35:30 - 36:1. What did the Holy Spirit enable Bezalel to do?
What principle can you learn from that?
Note to teachers/students:
In these chapters, God threatened to destroy the people but Moses humbly, passionately interceded for them and his main arguments were using God's promises and God's glory. This was a common denonminator in many prayers that were answered throughout scripture. Is this how we pray, or our prayers concerned with ourselves and our glory. Do we pray passionately or lacksadasily? Evaluate your prayer life; is it filled with "God bless so and so", traveling mercies, illnesses, relational issues, job or school problems? Sure God is interested in those but when is the last time you passionately prayed for His glory to go with you and shine for Him? When is the last time you prayed for God to teach you His ways so you could please Him better? You see, God showed the Israelites His deeds, Moses got to see His ways. The Israelites knew God (sort of) but God knew Moses by name. You may know all about a certain celebrity but it's another thing to have them give you their cell phone number and say, "call me". That's the relationship Moses had with the creator of the universe. Don't you want that? Seek after it with all your life, heart, passion!
Are you in love with God or the stuff He gives you? Are you excited to get to Heaven to enjoy bliss forever or are you just excited to see Jesus? God offers Moses the "stuff" without His presence and he says, "no way".
God is a Jealous God. We think of jealousy as a bad thing. "She is my girlfriend and she is talking to so and so. I'm so jealous!" Or, "Why do they get all the attention? I'm just as good as her." That is jealousy of someone. God is jealous for us. He wants the best for us and that best is Him. So He is jealous when anyone is taking His bride away from Him when He has an amazing future for us. That isn't a bad thing, that is a good thing!
Lastly, we tend to think that God annoints people for "full-time Christian ministry" only. All the other people in the world - school teachers, musicians, artists, and other professionals are in secular positions and are less anointed. Wrong! God gives us abilities in different areas all to use for His glory. Let people see God in how well you nurse or clean teeth or invest people's money, or cdook food or clean houses. Then like Joseph, give God the glory verbally and people will end up praising God which is what it is all about.
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